Saudi tobacco imports increasing solidly

Saudi Arabia’s tobacco products imports have increased consistently during each of the past four years, according to an Arab News story citing local media reports based on ‘recent data’.

The country was said to have imported tobacco products worth SR2.6 billion during 2010, a figure that rose by 15 per cent to SR3.0 billion during 2011, by 17 per cent to SR3.5 billion during 2012 and by nine percent to SR3.8 billion during 2013.

Although Saudi Arabia imports cigarettes from more than 17 countries, 91 percent of its tobacco products imports last year came from just three countries, Germany, Switzerland and Turkey.

Germany accounted for about 57 percent of the imports, while Switzerland and Turkey each accounted for about 17 per cent.